In “post-mix” beverage dispensing, beverage syrups are mixed with plain or carbonated water to form finished beverages. With respect to carbonated beverages, issues surrounding carbonation significantly affect the quality of the finished beverage.
For high quality beverages, for example, it is important that the specified carbonation level be consistently produced, regardless of system variations, such as ambient temperature. As another example, it is important that, in the dispensing of the finished product, foaming be minimized.
Efficient and cost-effective production of such high quality beverages is, of course, desirable. It has been discovered that lowering the temperature of water to be carbonated increases carbonation efficiency, and can allow for lower CO2 pressures. Accordingly, prior art efforts have been made to increase carbonation efficiency by using colder water. For example, U.S. Pat. No. 4,754,609 discloses pre-cooling water before carbonation. As further examples, U.S. Pat. Nos. 5,319,947, 5,419,461, and 5,524,452 disclose chilled carbonators. However, significant improvements can be made to the efficiency, cost, and space utilization (among other aspects) of the prior art.
Therefore, a need has arisen for an improved beverage dispenser and methods that make use of cold carbonation.